Thursday Update from The Trail of Trees

From Woodbine to St. Mary’s, the Georgia Arbor Day “Trail of Trees” Tour excited, engaged and inspired hundreds of new tree enthusiasts of all ages today.

As we arrived at Woodbine, the last of their new 34 “Making the Shade” trees were being planted. GFC staff and community volunteers, led by the Woodbine Tree Board, installed the trees around their playground. I watched and imagined how in a few short years what the canopy of those trees would shade.

At historic St. Mary’s, their playground was filled with red-cheeked children, happy at play. Massive live oak surrounded and shaded them all.

The basis for the Trail Trees show rests solely on the question, “What do trees give us?”

Answers are predictable but you never know what they’ll actually say. They range from “oxygen” to “food” and “paper” to “homes for animals.”

As of yet on this tour, we’d yet to hear the answer we heard from a very timid, tiny girl at St. Mary’s. All had to strain to hear her whisper, “Seeds.”

“Yes,” I said, “seeds so we can have more trees.”

The large two story windows in their cafeteria framed the view of their playground and the massive oaks surrounding it. I suggested that this coming fall they mount a project to collect the acorns from the live oaks and start their own tree St. Mary’s tree nursery.

“Do we have to tell the acorns to sprout?,” I said.

“No!” they shouted.

“That’s right, they’re hot-wired to grow. Put them in soil, add water and in due time, a sprout appears.”

Some looked at me quizzically. Others, excitedly. No matter, I could tell they were up for the challenge.

There is no better tree to collect seeds from for us to grow that the native trees that already grow where we live.

This fall, you should collect your own acorns and start a nursery. It’s really not that difficult … acorns, some pots, rich soil and you, too are well on your way to becoming a community Johnny Appleseed.